Changing His Plans

“Turn to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning: and rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn to the LORD your God: for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repents of the evil” (Joel 2:12).

When the Bible speaks of God “repenting,” it simply means that He changes His mind about the impending judgment He was about to bring because the people changed their minds about their sin.

God sees sin as evil, the wicked see His justice as “evil.” For example… “Is there evil in a city and God has not done it?” (Amos 3:6), or “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things” (Isaiah 45:7). The context in all these verses is God’s judgment. What the people called “evil” was the righteous retribution of God against their wickedness.

But when genuine repentance hits the human heart, and people confess their sins in a prayer of “sorrow toward God and faith towards the Lord Jesus Christ,” (His payment for their sins at the cross), God instantly changes His plans and purposes toward them.

Every preacher is called by God to “blow the trumpet” of the Gospel, so people will turn from sin and “flee for Refuge” to Jesus Christ. God is so good to warn, offer grace through His Son, and give the gift of time to repent. That time is now and God’s arms are open to welcome the one running Home.   

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)